Insomnia

What is insomnia?

Insomnia is difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, or possibly a combination of both.

It can also be a feeling of poor sleep quality. Insomnia can be the result of insufficient amount and poor quality of sleep.

Insomnia is not determined by the number of hours a person spends sleeping, as people vary widely in their sleep needs.

Although most of us know what insomnia is and how it feels after one or more sleepless nights, few seek medical help. Many people remain unaware of the options available to treat insomnia.

Insomnia is usually classified based on its duration. There is no single definition for the types of insomnia, but in general they are:

• Symptoms lasting less than one week are defined as transient insomnia;
• When symptoms last more than one week, this condition is classified as short-term insomnia;
• When insomnia lasts for more than three weeks, then it is defined as chronic insomnia.

Symptoms of Insomnia

Symptoms of insomnia are very unpleasant and can overlap with symptoms of other medical and mental conditions. This can complicate the diagnosis and treatment of insomnia.

Insomnia can be caused by various factors, such as stress, anxiety, depression, physical problems or poor sleeping habits.

One of the main factors contributing to insomnia is stress. Stress can be a result of the work environment, personal problems, financial difficulties or other factors that contribute to increased tension.

When a person is faced with stressful situations, his thought about not being able to sleep can become a source of additional stress.

Each time a person goes to sleep, they can become even more stressed, causing insomnia to worsen and become a chronic condition.</ p>

Symptoms of insomnia are not limited to not being able to fall asleep at night. People who suffer from insomnia often experience other problems during the day. One such symptom is difficulty concentrating.

Lack of sleep and constant waking at night can lead to mental fatigue and difficulty staying focused on tasks.

Insomnia can also lead to difficulty with memory and learning new information.

Another important symptom of insomnia is impaired coordination of movements. People who don’t get enough sleep may feel more insecure and have difficulty coordinating their movements.

This can manifest as unsteadiness when walking or difficulty performing simple tasks that normally require fine motor skills.

Insomnia can also lead to changes in behavior and interactions with other people. People who suffer from insomnia often feel irritable and have difficulty communicating with others.

They may feel more emotional and have a reduced tolerance for stressful situations. This can worsen their relationships with family, friends or colleagues.

When people try to cope with the symptoms of insomnia, some of them may resort to unhealthy strategies. For example, some may consume alcohol or antihistamines in hopes of helping them fall asleep.

Although these substances may induce temporary sleep, they do not address the underlying cause of insomnia and may worsen sleep problems.

Other people try to treat insomnia by taking over-the-counter sleeping pills. Although these drugs may help temporarily, long-term use can lead to dependence and reduce the body’s natural ability to fall asleep on its own.

Understanding the symptoms and contributing factors to insomnia is important for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Regardless of the reason, it is important to pay special attention to sleep and create healthy habits that support good and full sleep.

Treatment of insomnia

In most cases, the treatment of insomnia takes place without medication by applying behavioral therapy, one of its components being sleep hygiene.

As a few simple measures can be taken to improve the quality and increase the quantity of sleep. These measures consist of:

• Sleep as much as you need to feel rested. Don’t sleep too long;
• Exercise at least 20 minutes daily, preferably 4-5 hours before bed;
• Avoid forcing yourself to sleep;
• It is very important to follow a certain regime, going to bed and getting up at the same time every day;
• Do not drink caffeinated drinks later in the afternoon, avoid drinking alcohol at night;
• If you are an active smoker refrain from smoking at night and try to quit smoking;
• Don’t go to bed hungry;
• Regulate the temperature, light and noise in the room, what you sleep;
• Don’t go to bed with your daily problems, but try to solve them before going to bed.

Another A component of behavioral therapy for the treatment of insomnia is relaxation therapy, which includes various measures such as meditation and muscle relaxation or dimming the lights and listening to soothing music.

The next component of insomnia treatment is building a few simple habits that are especially helpful for people with chronic insomnia, they are:

• Go to bed when you feel sleepy;
• Don’t watch TV, read, eat or fidget in bed. Your bed should only be used for sleeping and sex;
• If you do not fall asleep 30 minutes after going to bed, get up and start over with relaxation techniques;</ li>
• Set your alarm clock to wake you up at the same time every morning, even during your sleepovers. Don’t fall asleep.

Avoid long naps during the day.